Pages: 45-65

Based on the archaeological data of recent decades, the article examines the questions related to the identification of people and social groups mentioned in the famous Olbian decree in honour of Protogenes, the son of Heroson, in the light of local historical events of the 3rd century BC. A special attention is paid to the so-called mixellenes and oiketai, who inhabited the areas at the border and within the territory of the polis, as well as to the groups of population named in the decree as the Scythians, Thissamatai and Saudaratai. Recent archaeological research demonstrates that Protogenes’ benefactions associated with a threat to the city imposed by the raids of Saiai, Skyrai and Gallates could only have taken place prior the middle of the 3rd century BC, i. e. before the Olbian “big” chora and the settlements of the Lower Dnieper and the Black Sea coast up to the gulf of Odessa, as well as the steppe nomads inhabiting the area between the Tiligul and Dnieper estuaries, disappeared from the historical arena. At the same time, the decree itself could have been promulgated at some later point, possibly, on the occasion of Protogenes’ 60th anniversary, i. e. in the period between ca. 230—220 BC.

Keywords: North Pontic region, Olbia, 3rd century BC, polis, chora, epigraphic sources, Protogenes decree.

Information about author:

Ivan Snytko (Nikolaev, Ukraine). Candidate of Historical Sciences. State inspection for Heritage Protection in Nikolaev region. Dekabristov St., 34/1, Nikolaev, 54000, Ukraine
E-mail: [email protected]